


you’re the universe i’m helpless in

by BensCalligraphySet



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Jedi Academy (Star Wars), F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, PROTECT TAI AT ALL COSTS, Padawan Ben Solo, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rey is determined to get her second kiss, Soft Ben Solo, Time Travel, inspired by The Rise of Kylo Ren #3, meaning Tai Voe and Hennix make an appearance, so much of it, there's no excuse for it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:01:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22685164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BensCalligraphySet/pseuds/BensCalligraphySet
Summary: After Exegol, Rey travels back in time to meet Ben during his time as a padawan in Luke's temple.They play a game of 'spin the lightsaber'.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 54
Kudos: 234
Collections: Galactic Idiots Collection





	you’re the universe i’m helpless in

After Exegol, Rey finds a portal in the cave on Ahch-To that connects to a fissure in the space-time continuum. Because of their Dyad connection, she ends up at the exact moment in time when Ben is at the Jedi academy.

. 

They’re easy to spot. A group of rowdy teens — even those who are training to become members of an antiquated monastic order — are loud enough to draw attention. When they sense Rey’s approach, they immediately fall silent.

  
“Who the hell are you?” asks a girl with powder white, almost silver hair, training saber in hand, ready to strike.

  
“Who the hell are _you_?” Rey bites back. The girl’s eyes fall to the lightsaber clipped to Rey’s belt, and her posture visibly shifts from aggressive to apologetic.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize—”

  
“It’s okay,” Rey interrupts. She’s about to ask the padawan about Ben when she spots him and all the air in her lungs leaves her with a soft ‘ _Oh_ ’. He’s younger, probably around 18 or 19, but just as tall — though not quite as broad — as her Ben. His shoulders haven’t had to carry the weight of the world yet. It should be weird, maybe, to see him at this age, almost the same as hers, but it isn’t. It’s still Ben. Just Ben. Always Ben. 

  
She says hello and he — Ben, this Ben, smiles. Rey’s heart lurches. “Hi,” he replies. He seems almost… shy.

  
Rey can’t look away, even as she swallows the lump in her throat and resists the urge to throw herself into his arms. She desperately wants him to recognize her even though she knows it’s impossible — this Ben hasn’t met her yet — but the way he’s looking at her, with something _more_ , something _deeper_ than curiosity tells her that he also feels this strange pull, same as she did when she first saw him; an undeniable magnetism that draws them towards each other. She knows what it is now — soul recognition. Two halves, yearning to reunite.

  
“I’m Tai,” one of the other padawans introduces himself. “That’s Voe,” he points at the only girl in the group. “That’s Hennix and this handsome guy,” he says, giving Ben a playful shove, “is Ben.” 

  
She wants to say _I know. Of course I know.That’s my Ben_. But she can’t, so she doesn’t. Instead, she slips on a smile and nods at the group. “I’m Rey, Luke’s… friend.”

  
“We were just about to play a round of spin the saber, if you want to join us?”

  
Rey hasn’t got a clue what spin the saber is, but Ben is here, he’s alive, he’s breathing, so this is where she’ll stay. He’s looking at her intently and Rey wishes, more than ever before, that she knew what he was thinking. She misses their connection something fierce. She nods, afraid her nerves will show through her voice.  
The group finds a spot on the grass. Ben sits down, and in his eyes, there’s a question. When Rey plops down next to him and he smiles again — that glorious, boyish smile of his that comes so easily in this time and place — she knows she answered correctly.

  
“Newcomers first, then.” Tai offers Rey a training lightsaber. She takes it and holds it in her hands, inspecting it, wondering what she’s supposed to do with it.

  
“Have you ever played before?” Ben asks. His voice isn’t quite as deep as it will be, years from now, but it still rumbles low and comforting, just like Rey remembers. It’s soothing.

  
Rey shakes her head and hands Ben the lightsaber. As their fingers touch, electricity sparks between them. Rey gasps and Ben’s eyes grow wide, inquisitive.

  
The bond. It stirs. 

  
“S-sorry,” she says, pulling back her hand. He seems reluctant to look away, but eventually does to place the saber on the ground, in the middle of the circle.   
“The rules are pretty simple. Whoever the saber lands on…” Ben pauses, locking eyes with Rey again. His lips quirk up into the kind of smirk some people - people who aren’t Rey- would describe as flirtatious. “Gets a kiss.” 

  
His hair isn’t as long as it is in the future, and the tips of his ears poke right through. Rey notices because they’re bright red and match the delicate blush that spreads through his cheeks. She feels something like excitement bubble up in her stomach. Rey’s been dreaming about kissing Ben again since her lips touched his for the first - and last - time, all those months ago on Exegol. At that moment, she knows she’s not above using the Force to make that saber land on her - and only on her. Something tells her she doesn’t need to, though. 

  
Ben’s gaze is heavy. He gives the lightsaber a whirl and Rey watches as it spins and spins until it stops… and it’s pointing right at her.

  
Tai huffs out a laugh. “Solo, you lucky nerf herder.”

  
Ben ignores him in favour of turning his whole body towards Rey. Their knees touch and Rey forces herself not to react this time. It’s like an electric current running through them, raising goosebumps on her skin. 

  
In Ben’s eyes is another question - is this okay? - and Rey hopes her smile is a sufficient answer. They’ve never been the kind of people who needed words to communicate. Not in the future, and apparently not in the past either. 

  
He leans forward so, so slowly and Rey waits. She can be patient. She took the lead in their first kiss, and she wants to let him do it this time. He leans and leans until his hand is gently cupping her nape and he’s as close to her as he can be without their lips touching. Their breaths mingle. His eyes drop from her eyes down to her lips and his mouth parts as he whispers, “Rey…” and then he finally pulls her in and their lips touch and it’s like falling, it’s like flying, it’s like finally feeling whole. Ben adjusts their position so their mouths slot together perfectly and she feels at home, here in his arms. It’s everything and nothing like she remembers. It’s more, it’s better, especially when she parts her lips and he deepens the kiss and suddenly this kiss is a lot less innocent than their first one had been. 

  
Someone whoops and the spell is broken and Rey pulls away, even though it physically pains her to do so. It’s worth it, to see the look on Ben’s face. He’s smiling, and it’s special, this smile - it’s all teeth and a dimple so deep and wide Rey wants to poke it, or maybe drown in it. She does neither, but she allows herself to hold his hand. She doesn’t ever want to let go. 

  
“Ben,” she begins, with no clear plan on what she wants to say, but needing to say something, anything, and his name is the only thing that comes to mind because it’s been the only thing on her mind for months. 

  
And then - there’s a shift in the air. Rey can feel that something isn’t right. Whatever twist of the Force brought her here is pulling her back, ripping her from this time and place, from Ben, from a past she doesn’t belong in. She wants to stay, but can’t. She wants to tell him to wait, to stay strong, to hang on tight to the Light inside him, but before she can… she’s gone. And the last thing she sees is the eyes of a boy she couldn’t keep… again. 

.

  
Years later, they will see each other again. In a forest on Takodana, a scavenger from Jakku and a monster in a mask will meet, and their connection will grow from an ember into roaring flames once more. He will see her, and he will know. 

  
“ _It’s you_.” 

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by @bukaterswanscavenger's reply to a post about who Ben would've kissed in a game of spin the lightsaber. Thank you, J! 
> 
> Find me on twitter & tumblr @galacticidiots!


End file.
